Principal, Manufacturing Process Excellence, Amazon Leo
Amazon Kuiper Manufacturing Enterprises LLC · Washington, DC · Product Management - Technical
Full-timePrincipal
About the role
Amazon Leo is Amazon's low Earth orbit satellite broadband network delivering fast, reliable internet to customers and communities worldwide. We manufacture satellites at high rate (24+ per week) under complex constraints including export control, government compliance (DFARS, CAS, ITAR), global supply chains, and simultaneous new product introductions
Export Control : This position requires that the candidate selected be a U.S. Citizen in order to comply with U.S. government-imposed requirements related to the nature of the work and/or where it will be performed.
Amazon Leo Engineering Enterprise Team is seeking a Principal, Manufacturing Process Excellence to serve as the organization's lead problem assessor and solution architect. This role is deployed to investigate operational issues, scope problems, ascertain requirements, and work with functional leadership to hypothesize and define minimum viable solutions (MVS). Once scoped, the role hands off to the PMO team for planning and execution.
This is a diagnostic and prescriptive role — you assess what is happening, determine why, define what the solution needs to accomplish, and produce a structured handoff. You move on to the next problem.
This role complements the Senior Manager, Business Process Excellence who owns Design Authority governance, the delivery organization, and execution. The principal focuses upstream: finding problems, framing them, and defining the right solution before resources are committed.
Key job responsibilities
Issue assessment: investigating operational problems, process failures, and capability gaps across manufacturing, warehousing, transportation, and supply chain domains.
Problem scoping: defining the boundaries, root causes, affected stakeholders, and business impact of identified issues.
Requirements definition: eliciting, documenting, and validating business and functional requirements through stakeholder engagement and process analysis.
Solution hypothesis: working with functional leadership and subject matter experts to generate and evaluate potential solution approaches.
Minimum Viable Solution (MVS) definition: specifying the simplest solution that addresses the core problem, including scope boundaries, acceptance criteria, dependencies, and constraints.
Structured handoff: producing a complete handoff package (problem statement, requirements, MVS specification, stakeholder map, risk assessment) that enables the PMO team to plan and execute without re-discovery.
• Process domain expertise: serving as the subject matter authority on manufacturing, EWM, TM, and supply chain processes to inform solution design
- Experience owning/driving roadmap strategy and definition
- • Bachelor's degree in industrial engineering, manufacturing engineering, supply chain management, operations management, or related field.
- • 10+ years in manufacturing or supply chain operations, process consulting, or business process architecture.
- • 7+ years in discrete manufacturing environments with direct experience diagnosing operational problems and designing solutions.
- • 5+ years conducting structured problem assessment, root cause analysis, and requirements definition across complex enterprise environments.
- • 5+ years in consulting, advisory, or internal diagnostic roles where the primary deliverable was problem framing, requirements, and solution recommendations (not ongoing execution).
- • Demonstrated ability to enter ambiguous situations, rapidly identify root causes, and produce structured problem statements and solution specifications.
- • Experience facilitating cross-functional workshops and stakeholder interviews to elicit requirements from diverse operational and technical audiences.
- • Experience with ERP-enabled manufacturing processes (SAP PP, QM, MM, EWM, TM or Oracle equivalent) sufficient to assess feasibility of proposed solutions.
- • Experience with structured problem-solving methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma, A3, 8D, Theory of Constraints, or equivalent).
- • Exceptional written communication skills with the ability to produce clear, self-contained problem statements, requirements documents, and solution specifications that enable others to act without continued involvement.
- Experience in project management methodologies, business analysis, or process improvement
- • Master's degree in industrial engineering, operations management, supply chain.
- • Management consulting background (McKinsey, BCG, Deloitte, Accenture, or equivalent) with manufacturing/supply chain practice experience.
- • Experience with Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and MES-to-ERP integration process design.
- • Aerospace, defense, satellite, semiconductor, automotive, or other high-rate discrete manufacturing environments.
- • Experience with subcontracting, consignment inventory, and vendor-managed inventory processes at scale.
- • Six Sigma Black Belt, Lean Master, or Theory of Constraints certification with demonstrated application to complex diagnostic engagements.
- • Process mining tools (Celonis, SAP Signavio) or digital twin experience applied to root cause analysis and process diagnostics.
- • Experience producing business cases, feasibility assessments, and investment recommendations for executive audiences.
- • Track record of rapid problem-to-solution cycle times in high-pressure manufacturing environments where diagnostic speed directly impacts throughput.
- • SAP or Equivalent Experience in two or more of: Production Planning (PP), Quality Management (QM), Extended Warehouse Management (EWM), Transportation Management (TM), or Materials Management (MM).
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
USA, WA, Bellevue - 179,900.00 - 243,400.00 USD annually
Export Control : This position requires that the candidate selected be a U.S. Citizen in order to comply with U.S. government-imposed requirements related to the nature of the work and/or where it will be performed.
Amazon Leo Engineering Enterprise Team is seeking a Principal, Manufacturing Process Excellence to serve as the organization's lead problem assessor and solution architect. This role is deployed to investigate operational issues, scope problems, ascertain requirements, and work with functional leadership to hypothesize and define minimum viable solutions (MVS). Once scoped, the role hands off to the PMO team for planning and execution.
This is a diagnostic and prescriptive role — you assess what is happening, determine why, define what the solution needs to accomplish, and produce a structured handoff. You move on to the next problem.
This role complements the Senior Manager, Business Process Excellence who owns Design Authority governance, the delivery organization, and execution. The principal focuses upstream: finding problems, framing them, and defining the right solution before resources are committed.
Key job responsibilities
Issue assessment: investigating operational problems, process failures, and capability gaps across manufacturing, warehousing, transportation, and supply chain domains.
Problem scoping: defining the boundaries, root causes, affected stakeholders, and business impact of identified issues.
Requirements definition: eliciting, documenting, and validating business and functional requirements through stakeholder engagement and process analysis.
Solution hypothesis: working with functional leadership and subject matter experts to generate and evaluate potential solution approaches.
Minimum Viable Solution (MVS) definition: specifying the simplest solution that addresses the core problem, including scope boundaries, acceptance criteria, dependencies, and constraints.
Structured handoff: producing a complete handoff package (problem statement, requirements, MVS specification, stakeholder map, risk assessment) that enables the PMO team to plan and execute without re-discovery.
• Process domain expertise: serving as the subject matter authority on manufacturing, EWM, TM, and supply chain processes to inform solution design
Basic qualifications
- Bachelor's degree- Experience owning/driving roadmap strategy and definition
- • Bachelor's degree in industrial engineering, manufacturing engineering, supply chain management, operations management, or related field.
- • 10+ years in manufacturing or supply chain operations, process consulting, or business process architecture.
- • 7+ years in discrete manufacturing environments with direct experience diagnosing operational problems and designing solutions.
- • 5+ years conducting structured problem assessment, root cause analysis, and requirements definition across complex enterprise environments.
- • 5+ years in consulting, advisory, or internal diagnostic roles where the primary deliverable was problem framing, requirements, and solution recommendations (not ongoing execution).
- • Demonstrated ability to enter ambiguous situations, rapidly identify root causes, and produce structured problem statements and solution specifications.
- • Experience facilitating cross-functional workshops and stakeholder interviews to elicit requirements from diverse operational and technical audiences.
- • Experience with ERP-enabled manufacturing processes (SAP PP, QM, MM, EWM, TM or Oracle equivalent) sufficient to assess feasibility of proposed solutions.
- • Experience with structured problem-solving methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma, A3, 8D, Theory of Constraints, or equivalent).
- • Exceptional written communication skills with the ability to produce clear, self-contained problem statements, requirements documents, and solution specifications that enable others to act without continued involvement.
Preferred qualifications
- Experience working directly with Engineers on product enhancements- Experience in project management methodologies, business analysis, or process improvement
- • Master's degree in industrial engineering, operations management, supply chain.
- • Management consulting background (McKinsey, BCG, Deloitte, Accenture, or equivalent) with manufacturing/supply chain practice experience.
- • Experience with Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and MES-to-ERP integration process design.
- • Aerospace, defense, satellite, semiconductor, automotive, or other high-rate discrete manufacturing environments.
- • Experience with subcontracting, consignment inventory, and vendor-managed inventory processes at scale.
- • Six Sigma Black Belt, Lean Master, or Theory of Constraints certification with demonstrated application to complex diagnostic engagements.
- • Process mining tools (Celonis, SAP Signavio) or digital twin experience applied to root cause analysis and process diagnostics.
- • Experience producing business cases, feasibility assessments, and investment recommendations for executive audiences.
- • Track record of rapid problem-to-solution cycle times in high-pressure manufacturing environments where diagnostic speed directly impacts throughput.
- • SAP or Equivalent Experience in two or more of: Production Planning (PP), Quality Management (QM), Extended Warehouse Management (EWM), Transportation Management (TM), or Materials Management (MM).
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.
USA, WA, Bellevue - 179,900.00 - 243,400.00 USD annually